Despite defeat, Newmarket showed great character and spirit in going under to Bantry Blues by 1-11 to 1-9 in the first round of the Premier Intermediate Football Championship played in constant rain and miserable conditions at Macroom on Saturday evening.

Newmarket’s intermediate football team travelled to Cloughduv on Friday evening to play Bantry Blues in their first competitive outing for two months, a league game that ended in defeat by 2-10 to 0-11.